gulfstreamcpt

Hey y'all;
Been a while since I've been on, but wanted to ask if anyone knows much about the ECM/TCM combo that Vector Motorsports is selling. I heard people talk about that they had a TCM module available about 10 months to a year ago. Got onto their website and even spoke to Kirk (or Kurt, not sure which it is) at Vector back then and he said they had been having good luck with the TCM module at that time for our cars. Since I have the DiabloSport programmer, I was quite interested as a little tranny tuning would be very nice. Well, I didn't get around to doing anything at that time, getting busy with other things as we all do, but now I'm getting back into the mode of wanting to get something done to help combat that "lazy shifting" 4T65E that we have. Jumped back onto Vector's website and see that now they only offer the ECM/TCM combo and not just a seperate TCM module as b4. Spoke with Kirk (or Kurt) again yesterday and he said they have had extremely good results with this combo. He said that they have done extensive dyno testing to get these things down to the gnat's a@@ and they on the average have seen about an 18HP gain and about the same in the torque numbers.

Now, told him I already have a Predator and asked if this would just be a "lateral" move for me, not counting the TCM module, as that would just be a waste of money. He said that their product is far superior and much more flexable. You tell them what mods you have and they custom set up the ECM for you with what kind of performance you are looking for (street, track, etc. I suppose). Sounds like a neat setup for $349 and for $20 more, you can get what they call a "stealth tune." For those of you who don't know about this, they have figured out a way to go in and keep the same codes as stock for the ECM and TCM so if you would ever have to take your car in for service, you can keep your ECM and TCM tunes in the car and the dealership computer will still read a stock tune on both as normal. Sounds cool....

So here's the rub. Of course the tech guy from Vector is gonna tell me good stuff about the product; probably wouldn't have a job there very long if he didn't. So, has anyone heard anything; good, bad, or indifferent about this product? Or better yet, has anyone stepped up and already tried it or know of anyone who has? Am very seriously getting ready to yank out my ECM and TCM to give it a whirl, but would like to get some feedback from anyone who may already have been this route. Anyone, anyone....... Bueller???????

neilownz

damn you went all out with the mpd hood, paint, and body pieces.

07carlocrusader

Yeah I've seen this car somewhere on the web long time ago, maybe cardomain?! this person is serious...

but I haven't heard anything about the vector motorsports tuning

06MonteSS

paint???!!


GOD I HOPE he's still gotta paint that hood and those ground effects yet...

and why would ya go to the silver grills??!!!


bleh...

but, whatever floats your boat...

Nacho SS

iTrader: (4)

Uhhhh.....I don't think a lot of people will like your car around here, just a warning of a flaming to come.

lovemyls4

i like the rims . . . .

06detroitgxp

What kind of wheels are those?

gulfstreamcpt

American Racing Rogues.... 20X8.5's

lovemyls4

soo nobodys tried this product? relatively cheap price too.

ZyroXZ2

iTrader: (1)

Well I tried it on my GP GXP... you can just click the link in my sig

StealthV8

iTrader: (1)

A box tune is never as good as one done by a pro on a dyno or even with hp tuners.

Red03GT

Why not a tune done by HP-T? Cant be that much more than the $369 you'd pay from Vector. I don't know about keeping it stealth with that kind of tune though.

gulfstreamcpt

Hey ZyroXZ2;
Read thru all the stuff you refered to on the GXP site. Beyond the whole refund/fix it stuff, I got your impression that there was some significant gains in the midrange, shifts were a bit firmer (which is what I am looking for as the 1st to 2nd shift has always been a bit lazy), and the top end power didn't have the increase you were expecting. Did I hit most of the highlights pretty accurate? At what point did you start to feel the fall off of the midrange power? Was the top end, although not what you maybe expected, still stronger than stock do you think or no???

I'm riding the fence now after hearing your testimony, but understand too there have been a number of people that have been happy with the combo as the guys from Vector have posted back in the GXP site. Now that a few more months have gone by since those posts, wondering if you still have their product in your car and if so, how are things with it now??? Trying to get the best info I can to make the wisest purchase/no purchase decision....

LS4SPEED

iTrader: (3)

Trying to get the best info I can to make the wisest purchase/no purchase decision....

HP Tuners, is what you want then tuned on a dyno, Period..

ZyroXZ2

iTrader: (1)

Yea you got it right, for the most part. I still have the RPM fluctuations when going uphill at about 25% throttle or so around 70 MPH, which can be replicated without fault by using cruise control, lol. It dies off fairly quickly once you reach 4.5K+. I had later occurred to me that there's a possibility that they tuned mine for 93 octane, even though I chose 91 octane knowing that's the highest octane available out here in Cali at a regular gas station. That could explain why I see/feel no topend gain. I'll have to get on the dyno to confirm that. I actually did a timed video of my car with my old ECM/TCM and the VMS one, and using a stopwatch on multiple replicated runs showed my stock ECM/TCM to pull slightly faster through the top end. Though I doubt that's the case, it atleast indicates no noticeable gain at the top.

I would have to agree, however, that if you have the time and confidence, HP Tuners will probably do you better. I don't have the time, though I know I can fine tune once I get used to HP Tuners software. If you want the most out of your car, get HP Tuners. I was pretty detailed in the links to my initial review contained in the post from my signature. All of that still stands.

supercatxr7

iTrader: (5)

Diablo handheld did the job for me. Fastest naturally aspirated LS4 at 13.0 quarter mile. Besides not having tranny support, I feel it did an excellent job and I always had support from Diablo and 06MonteSS! I'd get the Diablo and put a shift kit in unless you can shell out the cash for a dyno tune or HP tuners.

SILVER LS4

I had a vector tune on my 06 Impala and liked it alot. I am getting too old to sit down with hptuners and play for weeks and get it right then want to adjust it every day for the conditions...and so on. I also have a vector tune in my TBSS, and like it alot. It is one of the faster awd TBSS's for the mods and running full weight. Kirk is great to deal with (and is the owner operator of Vector) and will update your tune for future mods when you get them at no charge. I would go with vector for sure.

gulfstreamcpt

Hey Silver LS4;
How long ago did you have the set up from VMS in your Impy?? Was it the same set up we are talking about here? (Not sure if they've had any other versions of the one we're talking about here or not). Did you come across any of the issues that ZyroxZ2 has? Or did you find anything else that was any sort of negatives??? Or was this set up the "cat's meow" in your opinion??? If so, would like to hear more specifically about what kind of "gains" you got...

SILVER LS4

I had the Impala tuned back in late '05. Before the tune there seemed to be a feeling of turbo lag after the 1-2 shift, not after. Never tested it before the tune but with just a tune ran 14.0. Not the fastest (maybe due to my lack of front drive launch skills), but I did notice an improvement. I then added a catless down pipe and took the car back to Kirk and he deleted the O2 sensor codes. Added a shift kit later and Kirk increased the trans line pressure, all at no charge. It is probably the same set up, but may have been improved upon over the years actually. I found no negatives. The only people that I know that had any neg comments about vector was their customer service, and that was due to a former employee there. Maybe that's where Zyro had his problems??? I have not heard of any neg comments on the quality of Vector products. The five modded Trailblazer SS's around here that I know of all have Vector tunes and are very pleased.

gulfstreamcpt

Thanx man; appreciate all the info. Sounds like it may not be such a bad setup after all....